Methods for autonomous uplink transmissions and retransmissions

Abstract

There is provided a method, in a wireless device, for communicating with a network node using autonomous Uplink (UL) access. The method comprises: after sending a data transmission to a network node, starting a retransmission window associated with a feedback process of the data transmission, the retransmission window including a first timer; and in response to detecting an absence of a feedback signal during a time period given by the first timer, retransmitting the data after expiry of the first timer.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method, in a wireless device, for communicating with a network node using autonomous Uplink (UL) access, the method comprising:
 after sending a data transmission to a network node, starting a retransmission window associated with a feedback process of the data transmission, the retransmission window including a first timer; and 
 detecting an absence of a feedback signal during a time period given by the first timer; in response to the detecting, retransmitting the data transmission after expiry of the first timer; and the method further comprising receiving a signal indicating an uplink grant for the feedback signal and in response to the receipt of the uplink grant signal, stopping the retransmission window. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first timer is configured to prohibit the wireless device to perform a retransmission of the data transmission within the time period given by the first timer. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first timer is associated with a Hybrid Automatic Repeat request (HARQ) identifier of the feedback process. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein sending the data transmission comprises sending a retransmission of the data transmission. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the retransmission window further includes a second timer. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , wherein the second timer is triggered at the expiry of the first timer and is configured to allow the wireless device to perform a retransmission of the data transmission. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 5 , further comprising triggering another second timer after the second timer expires when no retransmission of the data transmission is performed during a time window given by the second timer. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , further comprising triggering a counter of the second timer for monitoring a number of times that the second timer is triggered. 
     
     
       9. A wireless device for communicating with a network node using autonomous Uplink (UL) access, the wireless device comprising:
 processing circuitry having a processor and a memory connected thereto, the memory containing instructions that, when executed, cause the wireless device to:
 after sending a data transmission to a network node, start a retransmission window associated with a feedback process of the data transmission, the retransmission window including a first timer; 
 in response to detecting an absence of a feedback signal during a time period given by the first timer, retransmit the data transmission after expiry of the first timer; receive a signal indicating an uplink grant for the feedback signal and in response to the receipt of the uplink grant signal, stop the retransmission window; and 
 
 power supply circuitry configured to supply power to the wireless device. 
 
     
     
       10. The wireless device of  claim 9 , wherein the first timer is configured to prohibit the wireless device to perform a retransmission of the data transmission within the time period given by the first timer. 
     
     
       11. The wireless device of  claim 9 , wherein the first timer is associated with a Hybrid Automatic Repeat request (HARQ) identifier of the feedback process. 
     
     
       12. The wireless device of  claim 9 , wherein the processor is configured to send the data transmission or send a retransmission of the data transmission. 
     
     
       13. The wireless device of  claim 9 , wherein the processor is configured to stop the first timer upon reception of the feedback signal during the time period given by the first timer. 
     
     
       14. The wireless device of  claim 9 , wherein the retransmission window further includes a second timer. 
     
     
       15. The wireless device of  claim 14 , wherein the processor is configured to trigger the second timer at the expiry of the first timer and wherein the second timer is configured to allow the wireless device to perform a retransmission of the data transmission. 
     
     
       16. The wireless device of  claim 14 , wherein the processor is configured to trigger another second timer after the second timer expires when no retransmission of the data transmission is performed during a time period given by the second timer. 
     
     
       17. The wireless device of  claim 16 , wherein the processor is configured to trigger a counter of the second timer for monitoring a number of times that the second timer is triggered.